I have grown up in a small, rural, farm-filled county and attended a small high school with less than 500 students enrolled. When I was in middle school I aspired to become a Radiologist, and after doing loads of research I learned that my school would be expensive. My parents and I sat down when I was a freshman and discussed how we would go about paying for my education; because I should not pass up on my dreams out of fear of debt. I decided that I would take advantage of all opportunities to become a standout student on all scholarship and college applications. Though my high school and community did not have much diversity in the area of opportunities I took advantage of what I could, as well as started initiatives. Throughout high school, I have been involved in various school-based clubs, athletics, and community service. I am a well-rounded student in the fact that I do not focus my efforts on one area of my involvement. At school, I currently serve as my class Vice President, Student Council President, Treasurer, and Co-founder of Rotary interact club, and captain of my varsity soccer team and the Unified Bocce program. My small community has offered mounds of support toward the robotics team I am on. I have been able to work through the school system to provide free STEM lessons, that involve hands-on manipulatives, to every third, fourth, and fifth-grade student in the county. Through these involvements and leadership initiatives, I have stood out in applications since I am involved in a variety of different activities, some of which are unique to me. In my academics, I have excelled. I will be the Salutatorian of my class and currently hold a 4.463 GPA. My curriculum has been as rigorous as my high school permitted. I have taken 6 Advanced Placement courses, 13 honors courses, and 6 dual-enrollment courses through a community college. I will now be pursuing a degree in Accounting, and through the University I am attending, I will be completing the program where I graduate in 5 years with a bachelor's and a Master's in Business Administration. Even though it was a major switch from my original plans, the same steps I took to prepare for medical school will help me in any situation. The 5-year path is the most financially responsible course of study to take, considering I will only have 5 years of education to pay for versus 6 or 7. During my time in high school, I learned to take $25 dual-enrollment courses that will give me college credit to help me save on having to take a $1,000-$2,000 course when I enter college. I have also planned to apply for all scholarships that are available to me to avoid student loans as much as possible. As for my finances, I will continue to work the part-time job I currently have to supplement my expenses during college.

As Marian Edelman once said, “education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” I reside with my family in a rural county in Maryland. My graduating class has 105 students, and the population of my county is under 35,000. Though the size of my community is small, it has given me many opportunities to prosper in my academics and extracurriculars. I am a high school senior with extensive volunteer experience and involvement in extracurriculars, and upon graduation, I will be attending a 4-year University to pursue a degree in accounting, with a career goal of becoming a Certified Public Accountant and owning a firm. Along with core classes in high school, I have completed advanced courses in the Computer Science pathway. I have recruited underclassmen to complete computer classes and hopefully involve more girls in technology. Working with the youth in my community has allowed me to become a role model and advocate for young girls by involving them in robotics teams and computer courses. I believe that as a role model for younger girls, I am helping break the gender stigmas that have been present in STEAM fields for many years. As an active member on my county's robotics team, I have become familiar with STEAM and sharing my passion for it with others. I help teach lessons to every third, fourth, and fifth-grade classroom in my county with manipulatives that relate to the STEAM lesson. The benefits of these lessons are that students can become acquainted with STEAM at a young age. To me, STEAM means opportunities. STEAM encases a wide range of opportunities for men and women alike to succeed and become part of a community. STEAM has become a crucial part of education. My love for STEAM education has been evident as well as my passion for sharing this education with younger groups. Education is changing the way that humans can impact the world. A formal education setting is beneficial for educating an individual, but educating oneself on the events in the world or other occurrences is beneficial to all. I plan to educate myself to be successful in my career but also be aware of social issues. During my time in high school, I have been able to create initiatives that benefit members of my community. By using the resources provided to me by my school I have had the opportunity to reach many people, and in college, I plan to do the same. Ultimately, I hope to one day be part of an international project for young girls in underdeveloped countries that provides educational materials, hygiene products, and resources to grow within their communities. Being a citizen in a country where there is education for men and women alike, and unlimited access to educational and health resources is one of the greatest blessings I have been able to receive. However, being able to give what I have been fortunate to receive to those who have not is what I strive to do. I want to one day empower girls to break any existing stigmas and boundaries to become the best they can be. I have advocated for younger generations to become involved in STEAM and plan to expand my efforts to reach outside of my community. Using my personal experiences and educational resources to reach members and groups in my community has allowed me to give back in a variety of ways and I plan to continue to grow these connections and experiences.

From the time I was little I was taught to always give more than what you take. I have been fortunate enough to have been raised in an area where people may not have much but are willing to give the clothes off their back to anyone in any situation. I have learned that through acts of service I am able to give to those who are in need of help and positively impact their life, and when asked how I aspire to make an impact in the world, my answer is simply through the people in my community and helping others become involved in their communities. Giving back to my community is a way for me to say thank you to all of those who helped me grow as a child. My community has given me countless opportunities to excel in sports and academics, and being able to offer these same opportunities to the youth of my community is undoubtedly the best feeling. I believe in creating a lasting impact and to do so my efforts need to last far beyond my time on Earth. I have focused my efforts on serving the youth of my community because I am a firm believer that if they have a role model who is similar in age and is involved in their community they are more likely to continue these habits, thus leading to more community involvement and service. I believe that if I can better one person's life, then my impact has been made. I strive for change and prosperity within my community by seeing what needs my community has and acting on them. I have been working within my school to start initiatives that allow students to become involved in their communities. Instead of my impact coming from my efforts only, I like to get others involved so my impact not only affects those whom I am serving but builds young leaders who will continue to serve others. By creating these leaders my impact will reach more people than working on my own. If I had the opportunity to have every student in my high school involved in some form of community service, and each individual would complete the project and gain a new passion for giving back, I would then know that I am a driving force for change. My positive impact on the world will come from my efforts to become a role model for those around me. I aspire to be the person who is known for her kindness and service to others. My actions are intended for others to emulate and carry on for their lives to make a change within the world. Even if one person carries my love for service after my guidance, my impact has been made and will only grow from there.